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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22929835">Just Us</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Somiko_Raven/pseuds/crystallized-iron'>crystallized-iron (Somiko_Raven)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Pain of Love [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Awkward Erik Lehnsherr, Getting Together, M/M, Prompt Fill, Tumblr Prompt, X-Men: First Class (2011)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 06:59:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,094</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22929835</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Somiko_Raven/pseuds/crystallized-iron</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>[Prequel to <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22706263">Just One Night</a>]</p><p>Charles and Erik had become closer during their mission to recruit mutants, and now Erik tries, <i>tries</i>, to tell Charles something, if he could just get the words out.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Erik Lehnsherr/Charles Xavier</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Pain of Love [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1648009</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>56</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Just Us</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Writing prompt: Sunsets by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/iammisscullen">iammisscullen</a></p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sun was warm as they stopped at a park after another long, yet fruitful day. Erik watched his companion stretch. “You really are good with them.”</p><p>“Hm?” Charles turned to him. “With what?”</p><p>“With the other mutants. You help calm them, bring them together.”</p><p>“Calming can be easy. Just knowing they are not alone is sometimes all they need.” He smiled at Erik. “But bringing them together is not a one man job, you know. I could not have been nearly as successful without you.”</p><p>“I doubt that.”</p><p>“I mean it. You have been a tremendous help to me. I am glad you are my friend.”</p><p>A pang of sadness waved over Charles’ senses as he spoke the word and he silently watched Erik.</p><p>“Why are you staring at me like that?” the other man asked.</p><p>“Because you do not like the word friend. Why is that?”</p><p>Erik narrowed his eyes. “Since you are reading my mind right now, I am sure you already have your answer.”</p><p>“I didn’t,” Charles said. “Or, not intentionally. It was an emotion. It just happened to reach me.”</p><p>“Just happened to.”</p><p>“Yes. Exactly.”</p><p>“So you aren’t inside my head right now?” he asked. “You don’t really know what exactly I am feeling nor why?”</p><p>“Should I be concerned, Erik? You are sounding very dramatic right now.”</p><p>“No. Sorry.” Erik sighed and faced him. “It is just… I am not sure of your…”</p><p>“My… what?” Charles wondered. “Use your words, Erik.”</p><p>“Maybe going through my thoughts would be easier on both of us,” Erik mumbled.</p><p>“Now why would I make it easier on you?”</p><p>Erik swallowed, tried to prepare himself. He did not think Charles would hate him for what he wanted to say, but a rejection would certainly hurt.</p><p>Yet the worst he could imagine was ruining the friendship they had made over the time they knew each other.</p><p>Slipping his hands into his pockets, Charles asked, “Do you want to say?”</p><p>“Just give me another minute.”</p><p>“Why is it so hard for you to just say it?”</p><p>Erik looked at him. Might as well get it over with. “Preference.”</p><p>Charles blinked. “What?”</p><p>“What is your… preference?” Erik tried again.</p><p>“My preference in what?”</p><p>Erik colored. “Just read my mind.”</p><p>Raising a brow, Charles told him, “I am not sure I want to now.”</p><p>“Damn it, Charles,” Erik muttered. He watched as Charles began to grin at him. “You know.”</p><p>“I know what you meant by preference, yes. But watching you blush like that was worth playing dumb.” He sat on the soft green grass, looking over at the beauty that was the setting sun. “Well, to be honest my attractions are in men and women.”</p><p>Erik sat nearby. “Alright.”</p><p>“Is that all you are going to say?”</p><p>“For now.”</p><p>Charles turned his head toward him. “In that case, may I ask yours?”</p><p>“Same.”</p><p>“Yeah? Hm.”</p><p>“Yeah.” Erik slowly met his eyes. The staring made him feel vulnerable. “Charles.”</p><p>“Yes, Erik?”</p><p>He did not know what to say. The words refused to come. He looked at the sunset before them and the warm colors shined brilliantly back. “I…” He hesitated; uncertainty still filled him, but it would not be the worst scenario he could imagine. “I care for someone. Very much.”</p><p>Charles patiently waited.</p><p>“They are a great friend to me.”</p><p>Setting a hand on Erik’s, Charles said, “I am sure your great friend feels the same way about you.”</p><p>Erik held onto the hand. “I think you are right.”</p><p>They gazed at the natural beauty together as the sun slowly went below the horizon. Reds and purples became dark blues littered with stars of various lights.</p><p>“This is sort of what it is like.”</p><p>Erik turned to Charles. “What?”</p><p>“Cerebro,” he answered. “Humans and mutants are like stars in space. And I get to connect with each of them.”</p><p>“That sounds beautiful.” Running his thumb over the hand that was still held in his, Erik said, “I think…”</p><p>Charles glanced at him. “Yes?”</p><p>“I think I will just -” he met the other’s eyes - “tell my friend what I need to say.”</p><p>Charles smiled. “That is a good idea, Erik.”</p><p>Nodding, Erik asked, “How should I do it?”</p><p>“Just be honest,” Charles told him. “Make sure you are clear so they are not left wondering.”</p><p>“Alright.” He stared at their hands. “I like you.”</p><p>“I like you too.”</p><p>Pressing their hands to his chest, Erik said, “I mean… I want a relationship. A romantic one. With you.”</p><p>Charles was quiet, his eyes going from Erik’s to their hands and then back again. The silence began to stretch and then he said, “I would like that too.” He gave Erik’s hand a squeeze. “I… I love you.”</p><p>“I love you,” Erik returned. He gave Charles a gentle tug closer. “May I kiss you?”</p><p>“Of course you may,” Charles told him.</p><p>Erik’s lips pressed softly against his own. It was light, somewhat shy.</p><p>When they parted, Charles whispered, “May I now?”</p><p>“Certainly.”</p><p>Charles leaned in and captured Erik’s lips in a more heated kiss. Fingers intertwined. A break, so brief, before Erik took another, his tongue slipping into the other’s mouth for a taste of the man he could now call his.</p><p>It wasn’t until Charles felt the grass against his back that everything came back into focus. “Wait. Wait.”</p><p>Erik stared down at him, finally realizing the position they were now in. “I - sorry.”</p><p>“No, just… wait.” Charles gazed up at him. “I think if we are going any further we should… change location, at least.”</p><p>Erik scanned the area. “No one is around.”</p><p>“Erik, this is a public place.”</p><p>“It is just us, Charles. It’s dark. No one else will be here until daylight.”</p><p>“Earlier you were too nervous to say anything, but this is okay?”</p><p>“Emotions are difficult. This… this is just us.” He moved off of him. “We don’t need words now.”</p><p>Charles did not move, merely staring at the stars. “Just us,” he repeated to himself. “Erik.”</p><p>Erik looked down at him. “Yes?”</p><p>“Come here.”</p><p>The other man lay beside him. “Do you want to now?”</p><p>Charles turned toward him. “I want <em> you</em>.” He scooted closer and gave Erik another kiss which was eagerly returned. “You are right after all. It is just us.”</p><p>Erik smiled and rolled on top of him again. “I love you, Charles. You know that.”</p><p>“I always knew it,” he murmured just before their mouths met again, the moon and the stars there to light their new lives together.</p>
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